30 Inches of Punk Rock Part 2 (3x10” Vinyl)

12-06-2024: Originally these three 10” records were posted separately on the same day back in 2015. While updating the entries from my original blogspot I thought it would make much more sense to combine them into one entry and call it 30 Inches of Punk Rock, something I shall continue in the future.

Germs - Cat's Clause Ten Inch

Label: Munster Records; Year: 1993; Format: Vinyl 10"

I intend on spending much more time talking about Paul Beahm, aka Darby Crash, when reviewing the book about his person, and the Germs. Tonight it honestly also dawned on me why I have bought this 10" in the first place all these years back because quite frankly it could not have been for the quality of the recordings to be found on this piece of wax. The prime reason of this purchase was an elaborate 20 page booklet with plenty of nice photos, flyers, anecdotes and a brief history of the Germs. Back in the early '90s in the pre internet days this was something quite special, and far more appreciated than these days. As for the packaging of this record, I love it. As for the sound quality of the live recordings on this record, I just cannot be equally enthusiastic. Side 1 was recorded at the Starwood in Hollywood and the sound quality is somewhat decent and listenable while the three songs on Side 2 taken from a gig at the Hong Kong Cafe are just pure noise. The highlights are "Circle One" and "Strange Note" which were both taken from rehearsals at the Canterbury house where many early LA punk rockers lived. By no means is this a must have, but if you're a die hard Germs fan then you'll want this, and if you're not than having read this blog entry will suffice.

Photo Credit (Bill Bartell)

Label: Quality of Life Inc.; Year: 1993; Format: Vinyl 10"

I don't know how you feel about the '90s when it comes to underground music but I remember it being a rather dull and boring decade. Looking back though there were certainly some highlights, and some retro scenes really managed to spit up some great bands that were worth paying attention to. The whole UK82 punk rock sound enjoyed a fine revival, particularly on the US East Coast. New Jersey's Blanks 77 were one of the earliest purveyors of that retro sound, and were part of a whole new generation of punks and skins that celebrated long forgotten UK acts such as the Ejected, Abrasive Wheels or the Partisans to name a few amongst the many that have appeared on leather jackets around the world. In the early '90s the Blanks started to release a whole slew of 7"s while this fine 10" was released in 1993. The funny thing about this release here is the fact that I have not pulled this record off the shelve in a long time but when I put down the needle on this record tonight with a beer in my right hand while rocking back and forth in my recliner chair, I all of a sudden remembered each one of the eight songs on the record. Sure, some might say that bands like the Blanks 77 didn't create anything new and lacked in originality but rest assured that any lack of creativity on behalf of the band was made up for with plenty of enthusiasm, dedication and the deliverance of some great fucking pogo punk. There is really nothing negative I can say about this little 10" as it is a fun listen. Now, get your pogo stick out, and up the system!

Label: Fan Club; Year: 199?; Format: Vinyl 10"

I never thought I’d be living in New York City one day, and here I am living in the Big Apple grinding away, and trying to pay all those bills while still having some fun. Before this city turned into the gentrified amusement park it often represents today, it was a city where survival of the fittest was on the daily picking order. The Lower East Side wasn’t a hip place to go to but instead offered space for artists and musicians to pursue what they enjoyed the most. I have to further admit that I was also never a huge fan of New York Hardcore with a few exceptions, and Cro Mags would never make it onto any of my lists of Top Bands. Still, if there was one 10” I would be allowed to take with me to a lonely island, it might as well be this one here. Before “Age of Quarrel” was recorded and released as an LP in 1986 a demo tape of all those songs was recorded between late ’84 and early ’85, and subsequently must have made the rounds in tape trader circles. Back in the tape trading days demos often ended up in various countries, and so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that in the early ‘90s someone came up with the idea to press the “Age of Quarrel” demo onto a 10”. While I have heard the more metallic sounding LP version in the past it just never grabbed me the same way as this much more raw and more brutal demo version. Everything, and I really mean everything is perfect about these recordings, as these songs just can’t be beaten when it comes to NYHC straight out of the gutters of the Lower East Side. The loud bass guitar, the screaming vocals, the speed, and above all the sheer brutality of these songs cannot be put into words, you just have to hear them! Essential listening for your bleeding ears!